Turnip

Turnip, common name for a hardy, biennial herb, of the mustard family, grown for its edible root. Turnips are native to Europe and parts of Asia and are cultivated in temperate and subarctic regions throughout the world. The yellow flowers, arranged in erect racemes, have four sepals, four petals, six stamens, and a solitary pistil. The fruit is a long, slender, many-seeded pod. The turnip differs from the rutabaga in having densely grouped stems and white-fleshed roots. Turnips are grown extensively for food and to provide feed for livestock.

Scientific classification: The turnip belongs to the family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). It is classified as Brassica rapa, Rapifera Group.